# Does "God Bless You" secretly mean "F\*\*k You? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 27, 2012, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-bless-you-secretly-mean-f-k-you/623252 "2012-05-27T16:09:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lady\_of\_the\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@Lady\_of\_the\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lady_of_the_Lake)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2012, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-bless-you-secretly-mean-f-k-you/623252/21 "2012-05-28T00:46:48Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > The wife says , " Well you should not be messing with God’s people" or something to that effect. As if we havce somehow wronged the children of God and will pay the price. That’s such an odd thing to say. While reading your story, I couldn’t help imagining her saying it and wiggling her fingers as if casting a curse on you, though I know that’s not the case. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![maggenpye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@maggenpye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maggenpye)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2012, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-bless-you-secretly-mean-f-k-you/623252/22 "2012-05-28T00:58:58Z")
> [@Jenaroph](#): > > Too bad you couldn’t get him an appointment for next Tuesday. Huh? I am missing the joke. This makes me sad. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2012, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-bless-you-secretly-mean-f-k-you/623252/23 "2012-05-28T02:04:11Z")
😃 See you next Tuesday = C U Next Tuesday ---
**Author:** ![maggenpye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@maggenpye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maggenpye)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2012, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-bless-you-secretly-mean-f-k-you/623252/24 "2012-05-28T02:12:09Z")
Good one. He’s not that bad really, he thinks he’s making a funny joke. If I hadn’t been swamped with work I would have A: laughed with him and said I had other, better excuses or B: actually just invited him through to the office and reminded him yet again that we prefer him to make a freaking appointment (while proving that he doesn’t need to). Thanks for the explanation and laugh. Now I can concentrate on work again! ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2012, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-bless-you-secretly-mean-f-k-you/623252/25 "2012-05-28T02:35:07Z")
I have lived in the south all my life, and I can most certainly assure you that “bless her heart” is, depending on context, just about the worst thing a particular type of old southern lady can say about someone. Usually it isn’t said directly TO anyone - but instead is used when talking about them later. Example: “Well, my Susie tried again last week - she told me she said she lost her food-stamps card again and she really needed that new one cause little Johnny has the diabetus and her Janie - you know she’s only 14 next week - got herself knocked up, bless her heart, and Susie said she told those ladies she just needs that new card to get by, you know. 'Course she didn’t say anything 'bout that sketchy old geezer hanging out in the trailer park she’s going to sell it to for crack instead - bless her heart, she probably thinks those ladies were born yesterday…” Actual (slightly paraphrased) conversation overheard between a few ladies (not the actual agency workers, I might add) a few months ago while I was acting as moral support for my friend who was applying for SNAP aid. I have never heard “God Bless” as fuck you, but I have heard “good day” as “die in a fire” pretty often in my very short stint as a telemarketer (I know - I’m sorry. I needed to eat.) ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2012, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-bless-you-secretly-mean-f-k-you/623252/26 "2012-05-28T03:21:41Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > It’s only an opinion but it seemed like he missed the part where Jesus talked about what’s really in your heart. > > It’s unfortuante but we do get people who really need the money and we still have to turn them away because it’s a business. We can’t buy everything that comes in. Believe me, if someone wears their Christianity on their sleeve, I’m the first to think that I’m going to get ripped off. Like was posted up thread “quit doing crappy work in the name of God”. ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2012, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-bless-you-secretly-mean-f-k-you/623252/27 "2012-05-28T03:39:35Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > We had a couple come in looking for business cleaning our floors. […] > A day or two later they both come in with attitude wantiong someone to explain why they didn’t get the contract. […] > The wife says , " Well you should not be messing with God’s people" or something to that effect. […] > As they leave she waves her hand in the air saying “You should not be messing with God’s people” Our outspoken salesperson yells “Stop doing crappy work in the name of God” > So, I did get the feeling that it might be “You have wronged one of God’s people , but I’ll say, God Bless you because I’m Godly” First, you must live in a freeky place. BUT, this is not Christian. It is human nature to be like a six year old and think that we should get everything we want, just becuase. That is why the ‘name-it-and-claim-it’ division of Christianity is booming right now. God is one big vending machine and the world is supposed to hand everything they ever desired over to them. They’re no more Christian than a kid who puts on a paper head dress is Native American. In reality, God says that people will be persecuted for following Him and that they should count all those troubles as blessings and rejoice in them. So, by turning down their work, you were blessing them. Don’t feel sorry for running your business in a responsible way. Because God tells us to be good stewards of all that we’ve been entrusted with. That would also include the finances of your shop. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2012, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-bless-you-secretly-mean-f-k-you/623252/28 "2012-05-28T07:29:10Z")
> [@Lady\_of\_the\_Lake](#): > > That’s such an odd thing to say. > > While reading your story, I couldn’t help imagining her saying it and wiggling her fingers as if casting a curse on you, though I know that’s not the case. 😃 I’ve had someone tell me that she was “praying a curse” down on me. Yeah, that didn’t make any sense to ME, either. ---
**Author:** ![movingfinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@movingfinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/movingfinger)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2012, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-bless-you-secretly-mean-f-k-you/623252/29 "2012-05-29T07:08:04Z")
From the way I have heard the phrase “Bless his/her/your heart” used it means “he is lying like a cheap rug” or “he doesn’t have two brain cells to rub together”. But the listener knows what the speaker means. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-bless-you-secretly-mean-f-k-you/623252/30 "2012-05-30T18:25:49Z")
> [@movingfinger](#): > > From the way I have heard the phrase “Bless his/her/your heart” used it means “he is lying like a cheap rug” or “he doesn’t have two brain cells to rub together”. But the listener knows what the speaker means. All of my relatives on my mother’s side are from Alabama. “Bless his heart” usually means the opposite of “Bless his _little_ heart.” The first is derision. The second is joyful. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Il_Palazzo)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-bless-you-secretly-mean-f-k-you/623252/31 "2012-05-30T18:36:22Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Anything said in a sarcastic way can be meant to be hostile. Indeed. “God bless you” doesn’t have any more secret vitriolic meaning than any other pleasantry that can be spoken sarcastically or disingenuously. The guys could just have easily said “Have a good one” or “Thanks anyways” with the same inflection and the same meaning. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-bless-you-secretly-mean-f-k-you/623252/32 "2012-05-30T19:01:48Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > Our manager loves to use the invisable manager ploy, rather than continue to argue with people. > > “You’re right, I’d like to help you, and I would but my boss is really strict about this. I agree it’s a bad policy but there’s nothing I can do.” This whole thread, but espicially this post, reminds me of something. Back when I worked in a video store, we would put posters for other people’s concerts and what not in the window. Someone would come in with a concert poster, a clerk would put it on the owner’s desk, and the owner would, at her discretion, tape it up in the window. One night a guy came in asking permission to put up his poster. I told him I’d give it to the owner so she could put it up. He started arguing with me, asking me why I was being so difficult. I explained the policy again. He got more irritated. I explained again. He asked me why I was being a dick. I explained again. He asked why “Lesbians Galore” could put up their posters, but not him. (This was in a very gay/lesbian-friendly community.) Maybe I was mumbling. Maybe I was speaking in Chinese. But I’m pretty sure that I was explaining things very clearly. But all he was hearing was “No, we hate you and your horrible poster.” I finally convinced him to leave it as he walked out in a snit. I did hand the poster to the store owner, along with a rundown of how the conversation went. Let’s just say she “blessed” his poster. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-bless-you-secretly-mean-f-k-you/623252/33 "2012-05-30T19:02:51Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Anything said in a sarcastic way can be meant to be hostile. Yeah, right. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-bless-you-secretly-mean-f-k-you/623252/34 "2012-05-30T19:18:44Z")
> [@Enkel](#): > > Believe me, if someone wears their Christianity on their sleeve, I’m the first to think that I’m going to get ripped off. Like was posted up thread “quit doing crappy work in the name of God”. Reminds me of a neat story. A guy was touring someplace that built large beautiful custom wooden boats. One of the craftsman was working hard on an area of the boat that would be permanently sealed up eventually. All that needed to be done was a rough sanding and throwing some epoxy on it. This guy was going above and beyond (and to be honest probably just wasting time and effort for no good reason). The guy asked “why are you working so hard on that area? Nobody will ever see it”. Craftsman replied “God will”. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-bless-you-secretly-mean-f-k-you/623252/35 "2012-05-30T19:24:18Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > The guy asked “why are you working so hard on that area? Nobody will ever see it”. > > Craftsman replied “God will”. I’ve heard that same story, except that the “boat” was the Sistene Chapel, the unseen part was the remote corners of the ceiling, and the craftsman was Michelangelo. I have no idea if it’s a true story. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Il_Palazzo)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-bless-you-secretly-mean-f-k-you/623252/36 "2012-05-30T19:38:49Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > I’ve heard that same story, except that the “boat” was the Sistene Chapel, the unseen part was the remote corners of the ceiling, and the craftsman was Michelangelo. I have no idea if it’s a true story. I heard it as a stone carver doing stonework in a section of a cathedral that was out of public view (being too high or a strange angle or something like that.) I assume the story is apocryphal, but it’s still a nice story. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-bless-you-secretly-mean-f-k-you/623252/37 "2012-05-30T19:41:38Z")
> [@Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](#): > > I assume the story is apocryphal, but it’s still a nice story. It’s a nice story and a nice practice. That’s true craftsmanship! ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Il_Palazzo)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-bless-you-secretly-mean-f-k-you/623252/38 "2012-05-30T19:42:24Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > It’s a nice story and a nice practice. That’s true craftsmanship! Indeed. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-bless-you-secretly-mean-f-k-you/623252/39 "2012-05-30T19:44:01Z")
Every time I refuse to give a bum a quarter, “God Bless You, sir.” This passive-aggressive game is just a tiny way to assert their dignity. If I’m feeling mean, I say “Next time, try opening with that line.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-bless-you-secretly-mean-f-k-you/623252.md?page=1)